ABUJA: Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, says it generated at least N20.1 billion revenue from its operations in the first half of this year.
The service at the airport also disclosed that it earned over N5.209 billion in July this year, thereby becoming the highest revenue ever collected by the unit since formation.
The image maker of the command, Thelma Williams, disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Lagos, over the weekend.
She also disclosed that the command had designated First Bank Nigeria Plc as its revenue collector on import duty, which she said, are processed using the Passenger Electronic Baggage Entry System, PEBES.
Williams said duty payable, is calculated based on the tendered invoice value of some items, stressing that about N179,326, 833.00 million had been collected by the command at the international wing of the Lagos airport between January and July 2015 as revenue accruals on informal trade alone.
Williams said the huge revenue capture was achieved as evidence of the diligence and hard work of officers and men of the command in the period under review.
She attributed the huge revenue as part of the ongoing reforms, stressing that their performances affect trade facilitation, duty collection and the enforcement of prohibition.
The stride by the Airport Customs Command, Williams assured, would be sustained with the cooperation of stakeholders in the aviation and allied sector, just as she urged industry players to partner with customs to achieve its goal of trade facilitation and revenue generation for the country.
She said that where invoices were not available, passengers are referred to the valuation unit where imports are assessed using valid data in the system.
She added; “Recent events at the arrival and departure halls of the MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, has made it necessary to clarify issues related to the operational modalities of officers posted to the arrival and departure halls with particular focus on methods of processing payment for merchandise in baggage, defined as merchandise accompanying inward bound passengers for which import duty is supposed to be paid.
Also passengers are statutorily required to make declaration of all cash in excess of $10,000 both at points of entry and exit. The NCS implores travellers to be patient and honest during routine checks and questioning. Where travellers have complaints about the conduct of officers on duty help desk and the officer of the Public Relations Department are available to help resolve all disputes that may arise thereof.
“For further clarification as to the items that are allowable, as personal baggage by travellers and the quantity that may be brought in without incurring taxes, the command wishes to refer members of the public to its website”
